Progressive bingo

Abstract

A gambling game includes the steps of preparing a plurality of gaming cards with an indicia of identification, and a plurality of gaming symbols on a face of the card. The indicia of identification is recorded within a data base of a central computer system. The gaming cards are then distributed to a plurality of remote gaming sites, where they are distributed to a plurality of remote gaming card dispensing machines networked to the central computer system. Participants can purchase for a predetermined amount of money, the gaming cards from the remote gaming card dispensing machines. The purchase requests are communicated over the network by the central computer system, if approved the remote gaming card dispensing machines will issue a gaming card to the participant. A first set of symbols is generated and communicated over the network to a plurality of displays. This allows the participants to determine if they hold a winning card, by completely matching the symbols generated with the symbols on their gaming cards. If no winner is determined subsequent symbols are generated, and communicated, until the symbols complete a match on at least one participants gaming card. The process continues until a participant completes a match and wins. If a participant wins on the generation of the first set of symbols they win a progressive and secondary jackpot. Otherwise, the progressive jackpot carries over until the next playing of the gambling game, and the subsequent winner wins only the secondary jackpot.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of playing a gambling game wherein remotely located users participate in a gaming event, said method comprising: a) preparing a plurality of gaming cards wherein each of said gaming cards comprises a unique indicia of identification, and a face with a set of symbols on said face of said gaming card;   b) recording said indicia of identification within a database of a central computer system for later recall;   c) distributing said plurality of gaming cards to a plurality of remote gaming card dispensing machines interfaced with said central computer system via a network;   d) processing a request for one of said plurality of gaming cards upon deposit of payment of a predetermined amount of money into one of said remote gaming card dispensing machines by a remote participant;   e) issuing said gaming card from said remote gaming card dispensing machine;   f) generating a first set of reference symbols;   g) communicating said first set of reference symbols to a display;   h) determining through said database of said central computer if said first set of reference symbols completely matches any of said sets of symbols on said faces of any of said plurality of gaming cards, if said complete match is determined said participant is a winner and said participant is allocated a portion of said money; otherwise   i) generating subsequent reference symbols until said first set of reference symbols and said subsequent reference symbols forms a complete match with one of said set of symbols on said face of at least one of said gaming cards, when said complete match is determined said participant is a winner;   j) communicating said subsequent reference symbols to said display; and   k) allocating to said winner a portion of said money.   
     
     
       2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gaming card is a bingo card, and said set of symbols on said face of said bingo card are traditional bingo numbers including a free space. 
     
     
       3. The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said bingo free space is randomly distributed on said face of said plurality of bingo cards. 
     
     
       4. The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said complete match comprises a complete match as it occurs in traditional bingo. 
     
     
       5. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein a first portion of said money goes to a progressive jackpot, and where a second portion of said money goes to a secondary jackpot. 
     
     
       6. The invention in accordance with claim 5 wherein if said first set of reference symbols completely matches any of said sets of symbols on said faces of any of said plurality of gaming cards, said winner is allocated said progressive jackpot and said secondary jackpot, and if no such complete match is made said progressive jackpot accumulates toward the next playing of said gambling game. 
     
     
       7. The invention as in accordance with claim 5 wherein if said first set of reference symbols and said subsequent reference symbols forms a complete match with one of said set of symbols on said face of at least one of said gaming cards, said winner is allocated said secondary jackpot. 
     
     
       8. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first set of reference symbols comprises a set of four symbols. 
     
     
       9. The invention in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the steps of: a) receiving a portion of said issued gaming card receipt from said participant, said portion comprising an indicia of identification that allows for personal identification of said participant; and   b) communicating to said database of said central computer system said indicia of identification that allows for personal identification of said participant.   
     
     
       10. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gaming cards are issued after obtaining approval from said central computer system. 
     
     
       11. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said display comprises a digital readout board. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus for playing a gambling game wherein remotely located users participate in a gaming event, said apparatus comprising: a) a plurality of gaming cards wherein each of said gaming cards comprises a unique indicia of identification, and a face with a set of symbols on said face of said gaming card;   b) a central computer system with a database;   c) a plurality of remote gaming card dispensing machines interfaced with said central computer system through a network, said remote gaming card dispensing machines located at a plurality of remote gambling sites;   d) computer program means for recording said indicia of identification within said database of said central computer system for later recall;   e) means for distributing said plurality of gaming cards to said plurality of remote gaming card dispensing machines;   f) computer program means for processing a request for one of said plurality of gaming cards upon deposit of payment of a predetermined amount of money into one of said remote gaming card dispensing machines by a remote participant;   g) computer program means for issuing said gaming card from said remote gaming card dispensing machine to said remote participant;   h) means for generating a first set of reference symbols;   i) computer program means for communicating said first set of reference symbols to a display;   j) computer program means for determining through said database of said central computer if said first set of reference symbols completely matches any of said sets of symbols on said faces of any of said plurality of gaming cards, if said complete match is determined said participant is a winner and said participant is allocated a portion of said money otherwise;   k) means for generating subsequent reference symbols until said first set of reference symbols and said subsequent reference symbols forms a complete match with one of said set of symbols on said face of at least one of said gaming cards, when said complete match is determined said participant is a winner;   l) computer program means for communicating said subsequent reference symbols to said display; and   m) means for allocating to said winner a portion of said money.   
     
     
       13. The invention in accordance with claim 12 wherein said gaming card is a bingo card, and said set of symbols on said face of said bingo card are traditional bingo numbers including a free space. 
     
     
       14. The invention in accordance with claim 13 wherein said bingo free space is randomly distributed on said face of said plurality of bingo cards. 
     
     
       15. The invention in accordance with claim 13 wherein said complete match comprises a complete match at it occurs in traditional bingo. 
     
     
       16. The invention in accordance with claim 12 wherein a first portion of said money goes to a progressive jackpot, and where a second portion of said money goes to a secondary jackpot. 
     
     
       17. The invention in accordance with claim 16 wherein if said first set of reference symbols completely matches any of said sets of symbols on said faces of any of said plurality of gaming cards, said winner is allocated said progressive jackpot and said secondary jackpot, and if no such complete match is made said progressive jackpot accumulates toward the next playing of said gambling game. 
     
     
       18. The invention as in accordance with claim 16 wherein if said first set of reference symbols and said subsequent reference symbols forms a complete match with one of said set of symbols on said face of at least one of said gaming cards, said winner is allocated said secondary jackpot. 
     
     
       19. The invention in accordance with claim 12 wherein said first set of reference symbols comprises a set of four symbols. 
     
     
       20. The invention in accordance with claim 12 further comprising: a) means for receiving a portion of said issued gaming card receipt from said participant, said portion comprising an indicia of identification that allows for personal identification of said participant; and   b) computer program means for communicating to said database of said central computer system said indicia of identification that allows for personal identification of said participant.   
     
     
       21. The invention in accordance with claim 12 wherein said gaming cards are issued after obtaining confirmation from said central computer system. 
     
     
       22. The invention in accordance with claim 12 wherein said display comprises a digital readout board.